8 ways to plan a banging stag do

Want to throw a stag with a few cheeky twists?

Package planner DesignaVenture explains how to pull off the perfect stag night off without a hitch...

1. Think cash

Have a good discussion with the stag (down the pub is a good idea) and try to gage what he thinks people will be willing to spend. Check with the other guys before you book though – if you book your do for £250 per person when everyone's budget is £150, you might find that it will be just you and the stag going!

Beware of false economy. Try and think through an itinerary and how you're going to get to each venue. For example, when booking your accommodation if you book a hotel which is 4 miles from the centre of town saving you £5 per person, it may cost you more than that in taxi fares.

2. Protect yourself

When booking make sure you are aware of terms and conditions and most importantly if and when you can cancel people off the booking free of charge. Don’t pay for anyone you don’t know or trust.

3. Go for a crowd-pleaser

Try and tailor the activities to what the stag wants, however don't book an activity that no-one else wants to do. Golf is a good example of this... it's typical that non-golfers usually hate golf and this may show when people start dropping like flies. Try to book something which will be appealing across the stag party.

4. Throw in some surprises!

While on tour, always have a game or two up your sleeve. This will bring lots of laughter and bond the group. Chicken Run is DesignaVenture's favourite: dress the stag in a chicken costume, then he has 15 minutes to find a pub or bar to sit in and spend the stag kitty at his leisure until he is found...

Then there's the infamous stag do prank... Be kind to the stag: no tattoos, shaven armpits or irreversible marks. The options are endless but it should be funny, just a tad degrading and always memorable.

5. Social media the hell out of it

In the era of social media, smart phones and computers, there's no excuse not to keep everyone in the loop. So set up a Facebook page or Twitter account where you can feed live updates of where, when and what. You can always make these pages for members eyes only: what goes on tour stays on tour, and all that.

Another great way to communicate is setting up an email group, people can then click ‘reply all’ – bring on the banter. It’s also a great way to share documents with everyone.

6. Size isn’t everything

Don’t get hung up on group size, we find that the smaller the stag party, the more manageable you'll find it. An average group size is 12. You'll also find small groups tend to stay together throughout the stag weekend.

7. Where’s your bed at?

Most stag dos take place in European or UK cities – some of which your party may never have been to before. So as a little tip, on check-in at your hotel make sure everyone takes a hotel card from reception and sticks it in their wallets. Then, if a stag member needs to retire early, they know where their bed’s at.

8. Enjoy the ride

Without a doubt arranging a stag do can be stressful. However, if you do more work before you go and try not to leave anything to chance, your stag weekend will be a breeze, so enjoy it!